Differential bioaccumulation and histopathological changes induced by iron oxide nanoparticles and ferric chloride in the neotropical snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are prominent in nanomedicine, cosmetics, and environmental applications. However, their increasing production, use, and release into the environment raises concerns about their potential risks to aquatic life and human health. This study aimed to evaluate the bioaccumulation, as concentration of small, medium and large iron aggregates in the digestive tubules, histopathological changes, and inflammatory responses in the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata following chronic exposure to gluconic-acid functionalized IONPs (GLA-IONPs) compared to their dissolved counterpart (FeCl).